“Kurukshetra: Between War and Peace”- A New Global Anthology Explores the Many Frontlines of Conflict and the Fragile Longing for Peace

In an age where the spectres of war are never far—whether in geopolitics or in the recesses of the human psyche—a powerful new anthology offers a vital literary intervention. Kurukshetra: Between War and Peace is a compelling collection of poetry and creative non-fiction that speaks to the enduring human struggle between violence and reconciliation, despair and resilience, silence and testimony.

Bringing together over 200 original works by more than 80 contributors from across the globe, Kurukshetra presents a panoramic yet intimate meditation on conflict in its many forms. Wars are not just fought in distant lands with guns and borders—they also unfold in homes, on bodies, in memories, and in moral crossroads. This anthology captures that reality in verse, in reflection, and in artistic resistance.

The title invokes the ancient battlefield of the Mahabharata—Kurukshetra—not merely as a mythic setting, but as a metaphor for the timeless conflict between duty and doubt, righteousness and ruin. As Prof. Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur, one of the volume’s editors, reflects:

“The battlefield of Kurukshetra may have been historic, but the battle between war and peace is timeless.”

From the ruins of Gaza and the trauma of Ukraine, to the unresolved wounds of Partition, exile, and colonialism, the anthology traverses continents and centuries. But Kurukshetra is not confined to macro histories. It is also a witness to internal wars—the psychological tolls of violence, the griefs that go unnamed, the resistance that quietly endures.

A central strength of the collection lies in its intersectional lens. War is examined not only as military conflict but as something systemic, intimate, and gendered. Several contributions speak to invisible battles—those waged by women in patriarchal settings, by refugees in foreign lands, and by dissidents fighting to preserve memory against amnesia. These are not simplistic narratives of heroes and villains. Rather, the anthology embraces the complexities and contradictions that war imposes on human lives and choices.

In her evocative foreword, Nibedita Sen writes:

“Even after five thousand years of Kurukshetra, we are still being driven by our indomitable instincts into different war zones… War does not wait to be found. It finds us.”

The literary styles in Kurukshetra are as diverse as its voices—ranging from free verse to formal poetry, lyrical prose to experimental forms. But all are united in their urgency: to bear witness, to challenge erasure, to give form to pain and meaning to survival. Whether quietly reflective or blisteringly raw, these works serve as documents of conscience.

The anthology has been jointly edited by Prof. Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur, a distinguished academic and poet known for her pioneering work in women’s literature, and Anita Joseph, a seasoned journalist and author based in the Middle East. The cover artwork, designed by Aaryan Das, a promising young artist from Delhi, further amplifies the book’s symbolic essence—merging history with present-day realities, and despair with the enduring hope of expression.

Released globally, Kurukshetra: Between War and Peace is now available on major platforms including Amazon and Flipkart in India:

• USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9391828566
  
• UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9391828566
  
• Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/9391828566
  
• India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/9391828876
  
• Flipkart (India): https://www.flipkart.com/kurukshetra-between-war-peace/p/itm48733ee3bd0ca
  

In a world increasingly fractured by fear, ideology, and amnesia, Kurukshetra is both a literary reckoning and a call to conscience. It dares to remember what the world wishes to forget. It reminds us that to write is to defy obliteration—and to read is to resist silence.